1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing technique for modifying an area on a target image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a certain image processing apparatus, an image processing for modifying digital image is performed. For example, JP2004-318204A discloses an image processing method for modifying the shape of the face. The image processing method entails setting certain areas of an image of a face (specifically, areas representing images of the cheeks) as correction areas, then dividing these correction areas into a plurality of sub-areas according to a prescribed pattern, and either enlarging or reducing the image by a ratio which has been set on an individual sub-area basis.
In this conventional image processing method for image modification, the correction areas on which image modification is performed are predetermined as the areas representing images of the cheeks. Accordingly, in under normal circumstances, these correction areas do not overlap. Therefore, no consideration has been given to instances in which correction areas targeted for modification might overlap. This problem is not limited to image processing which involves facial correction. Such a problem may occur in any image processing which involves correcting one or more portions of an image.